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Glutamine in Oncology

Friend or Foe

l-Glutamine the amino acid is one of the most widely used therapeutic substances in natural and integrative clinics as well as some allopathic practices. It has benefit in gastrointestinal illnesses and repair, post-surgical care, renal support, muscle mass maintenance, cachexia and a number of other conditions. Given its wide use in the integrative medical community the concern regarding potential for any adverse or untoward event associated with its use is significant. The primary potential issue is the “feeding” of cancer cells and another related issue is increasing glutathione stores and thereby inactivating standard therapies. This review looks at this controversy and helps the reader make sense of the safety and best practice use of l-glutamine in oncology.